Baby H: 18 weeks

 

 

How far along? 18 weeks

Baby Size: Baby H is 6.7 oz and 5.6 inches. The size of an sweet potato.

Total weight gain: 14 pounds. I am so happy for the holiday season to be over. I am ready to get back to working out & eating healthy on a regular basis.

Maternity clothes? I officially went maternity clothes shopping. And holy crap are those clothes expensive!! Jeans for $60 that aren't even very cute?!? I bought 2 pairs of jeans and a couple tops. {I accept hand me downs!!} As much as I like leggings - it's nice to wear regular clothes again!

**I take to many pictures of myself in the mirror**

 

Sleep: Sleep has been great. Actually, better than before I got pregnant. Before I got pregnant - I took a sleeping pill almost every night before bed {otherwise I would lay in bed for hours before falling asleep}. Now I sleep 10pm - 6am without taking any sleep aid!!

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move for the first time!!

Miss Anything? Nope, nothing. Not even drinking on NYE - but it helped that I had a non-drinking buddy to celebrate with.

Movement: We have movement!! On Monday, I was sitting at work and felt like I was riding a roller coaster {that feeling you get when you go down the steep hills on a coaster}  - I knew it had to be the baby moving! Nick keeps asking to feel it move, but I told him it'll be a couple weeks before he'll be able to feel anything.

Food cravings: No cravings.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I've been feeling great - nothing making me sick!

Gender: Not finding out.

Have you started to show yet: There is no denying it - I have a baby bump!
 

Mood: I'm excited for the new year - 2013 is going to be a great year! 5 months until we meet Baby H. 9 months until I stand next to my baby sister when she gets married.
 

Thoughts: Baby brain...this stuff is for real! I am so forgetful these days - I can't remember people's names or names of objects. It drives me crazy!!

My hair finally got the memo that I'm pregnant. I've heard stories about how your hair grows faster & gets thicker when you're pregnant, but until about a week ago - mine was still falling out. {I have an under active thyroid and that's one of the side effects} I'm happy my hair is growing!!

I've started making purchases for the baby. I bought a couple light weight gender neutral onesies/sleepers at Target - perfect for summer. I also bought the crib and fabric for the babies room! Can't wait to start on the nursery!

We got our new vehicle - a 2013 Toyota 4Runner and I LOVE it! It'll be the perfect vehicle for our new little one!!

 

Baby H: 17 weeks {picture update}

 

I was able to track down my photographer on Saturday to get a weekly baby bump picture. And what a baby bump it is!!! I'm starting to show more & more every day. I still don't really feel pregnant {and sometimes forget that I am} but with the expanding waistline  - it's becoming more real!!

Baby H: 17 weeks

 

**My photographer has not been available this week - so these are the only pictures I have for week 17**

 

 

How far along? 17 weeks

Baby Size: Baby H is 5.9 oz and 5.1 inches. The size of an onion.

Total weight gain: 13 pounds. {I blame this on all the Christmas goodies}

first maternity shirt

Maternity clothes? I have 2 maternity tops that I've started wearing, so I'm slowing beginning to include them into my wardrobe.

Sleep: Sleep wasn't great this week - but it has nothing to do with being uncomfortable or having to get up to go to the bathroom. But more to do with planning for the holidays and travelling {and not sleeping in our own bed}. Hopefully, I get back on track next week.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Christmas with our families and everyone being excited about the baby!!

Miss Anything? Nothing. I'm over the cold meat sandwich thing now. I didn't even miss having a drink at Christmas with my family.

Movement: No movement yet. I'm beginning to think the baby is as laid back as its daddy and isn't going to move a lot!

Food cravings: Still no cravings. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: I didn't feel well on Christmas Eve/Day. I think it was a combination of too many sweets/munches and not drinking enough water. I felt like I was going to be sick but never did.

Gender: Not finding out.

Have you started to show yet: My belly is definitely getting bigger. In the mornings it's not that big, but by the end of the day {after eating & drinking} it is really round!

 

Mood: What a mix of emotions I've had over the last week. I was so excited to celebrate Christmas with our families and even had my shopping done early {which is rare for me}. Everything started out great...then my sister lost her baby on Christmas Eve  {she was due 2 months after me} and we found out that my nephew's cancer is back. Combine the bad news with pregnancy hormones -  I think I cried more on Christmas Eve/Day than I smiled.

 



 

 

 

Thoughts: Pregnancy Books...I've found them to be a waste of time. Maybe it's because I haven't had any of the symptoms or maybe it's because I feel like the books are full of drama. But I stopped reading them after week 8 and haven't opened one since.

I got a sewing machine for Christmas, so I am excited to start picking out fabric for the babies room to make bedding & curtains!



I love family traditions & the thought of passing items down to the next generation. So I couldn't think of anything better than making a christening gown for the baby to wear out of my wedding dress. My MIL has agreed to make the outfit - I'm excited to start looking for a pattern!!

 

A Year in Review: 2012

As I reflect back on 2012, I realized it was full of both highs & lows. We dealt with my mother passing away suddenly of a heart attack in February, my nephew's ongoing battle with cancer and our fertility struggle. But I'd rather not dwell on the bad, but focus on the good things that happened in 2012.

10."Ran" 3 5K's with Ann - One of my goals for 2012 was to run a 5K. I was a sprinter in high school & college, so distance running has not been easy {or fun} for me. I stuck to the Couch to 5K program and was able to run 3.1 miles!! My BFF, Ann, and I ran a 5K in June, followed by the Color Run in early October, and the 5K at the Des Moines Marathon in late October. We didn't run the entire Color Run or at the DM Marathon, but I still count them! It was great to cross this goal off my to-do list and to do it with my best friend!

    

                    



 

 

9.  College girlfriend weekend - I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of college girlfriends. We've been there for each other for weddings, babies, deaths and other highs/lows in our lives. I always know we're going to have a great time when we get together. Unfortunately, with jobs, kids and life getting in the way - we don't get together as much as we used to. This summer, the girls came to my house {sans kids & husbands} to hang out & we had an amazing weekend catching up. We drank, we ate, we went wine tasting, we hung out in the pool, we drank. It was a great weekend!




8.  Girls shopping trip to Minneapolis - My aunts & cousins have an annual shopping trip to Minneapolis the first weekend in November. I went years ago, but with my job it's hard to get away at the beginning of the month. But after traveling to NYC {see #4} with this group - I knew I didn't want to miss out on spending time with this group of ladies!! We spent 3 days shopping/talking/drinking {water for me}. One evening we got dressed up, had blow-outs, went to a show and had a nice dinner. It was a great long weekend and I'm already looking forward to next year!!



7.  Boys snowmobiling trip to Wyoming & Michigan - Nick has a great group of friends that enjoy a lot of the same hobbies - one of them being snowmobiling. He was able to take 2 snowmobile trips this year with the guys. He enjoys the boys time...and I enjoy when he's gone so I can have some girl time {shopping & wine drinking}.

6.  Annual 4th of July party - We moved into our house 3 years ago and decided it was a great location to have a summer celebration - enough room to set up tents for sleeping and a hill big enough for a 'white-trash' slip & slide! Along with the slip & slide, we have fireworks, lots of food & drinks  and this year added a pool to the activities. This is the 2nd year of hosting a July 4 party and it's so much fun to get together with everyone! 






5.  Celebrating Blake's 12th Birthday - My nephew, Blake, was diagnosed with cancer in December 2011. He has been going through surgeries, chemo and treatments since this time. We wanted to throw him an amazing 12th birthday since he had been through so much. He had just finished a treatment & was susceptible to catching viruses ...so we had the birthday bash at his house. We bought balloons in his favorite color, had a Justin Bieber cake and Batman even made an appearance!! All of my siblings were able to make the trip - it was a loud & fun time with everyone there!! The best part was Blake had an unforgettable birthday celebration!!

 

 

Batman surprised Blake while he was opening gifts - he was so excited & couldn't stop smiling!!

 

He got his own Batman costume!

 

  

 

4.  Girls trip to NYC - In March, I was lucky enough to travel to NYC with my aunts & cousins. We spent 4 days exploring the city and had an amazing time! We did all the typical touristy-type things - shopping, drinking, ate at Serendipity and SaraBeth's {among other places}, visited the Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Time Square and lots of other places. I never thought I wanted to go to NYC, but after visiting...I can't wait to go back to explore the city more!!

 

 

 

 



3.  Trip to Punta Cana - I love tropical vacations. Nick & I traveled to Punta Cana with another couple in August and had an incredible time! We hung by the swim-up bar {a lot}, drank, went on a catamaran excursion, drank, ate great food, got massages, drank and did some shopping. The beaches were beautiful and the views were breathtaking...I think I might like Punta Cana more than Mexico!

 

 

 

2.  Celebrating a new baby nephew - In August, we welcomed a new nephew into the world - Abrahm Duane {or Baby Abey - as we like to call him}. Nick has already decided he's going to Baby Abey's favorite uncle {he's his only uncle at this point!} and it's so fun to watch their relationship grow.

 

 

1.  Finding out we were expecting!! - It was a 1 1/2 year journey, but on September 26 we found out we were finally expecting!! It was one of the best days of my life and I've been enjoying every little thing about this pregnancy. Luckily, I've had no morning sickness and very little tiredness - so it's been easy to enjoy! Nick has been amazing during this entire journey - supportive during the fertility struggle, ecstatic when we found out we were expecting and holding my hand during every doctor's appointment. He is going to make an amazing daddy...and I can't wait to see him hold his baby in his arms. Our family & friends have also been very supportive during this journey and we are so lucky to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of people.